Question

Select the odd one out with respect to heat
A) Iron
B) Plastic
C) Wood
D) Mica

Answer 1

Hint: For any substance in the universe, the materials need to have empty space between the atoms present in them for hot air to move through the substance. Also, heat conduction is the movement of the heat from one object to another one that has different temperature when there is physical contact between both the objects.

Complete step by step answer:
Let us solve every option separately and find the correct answer. If we take the first option, iron is a good conductor of both heat and electricity. The reason is because there is a lot of empty space in between the atom present in the iron molecules. Hence, hot air can easily move from one place to another, making it a good conductor of heat.
Next, let's come to plastic. Plastic materials are widely used in different sectors as an insulation material. Plastic neither conducts heat nor it conducts electricity. This is the primary reason why it is used in insulation of copper wires. It is resistant to heat.
Next, wood, especially wet wood or damped one, conducts heat very easily. Strong and dry wood is a poor conductor of heat because it is covalently bound as a compound. In such a case, no free electrons are present to scatter.
Finally, mica is also a good conductor of heat. It has many free electrons in it for the hot air particles to travel easily.
Hence, the odd one of all the options is option b, the plastic.

Note:
In the above question, we were asked to find the good conductor of heat. Many of us presume that the examples that are good conductors of electricity will surely be a good conductor of heat. But it's wrong, there are few materials that are good doctors of heat but bad conductors of electricity.